This invention relates to skates, and more particularly to an in-line skate with enhanced turning characteristics.
The in-line skate industry is relatively new and numerous skate configurations and designs abound. As this sporting field evolves, so does the ability of the skaters, necessitating a higher degree of sophistication in the equipment. Areas of concern of skaters relate to, for example, the ability to turn more easily, more smoothly, faster, and with less physical stress on the skater.
As with most sporting equipment, there is also a problem of wear and tear on the equipment relating to in-line skates. In-line skates especially experience wear in the wheels, due to the nature of the surfaces on which the skates are typically used. Because wheel-to-pavement friction both increases wheel wear and energy losses, reducing this friction would result in longer equipment life as well as increased speed. Traditional in-line skates have fixed orientation wheels, typically aligned with a straight ahead direction of travel and mounted to rigid frames, which makes turning with the skates less efficient, since the wheels are held straight ahead while the skater attempts to turn. Further, the wheels of many skates are fixed in a line but the middle wheels may be slightly lowered to give the effect of "camber" corresponding to the arc ground into an ice skate blade, to make the wheels contact the ground when turning. However, the middle wheels really don't stay lowered very long because the wheels quickly wear down to be even with the outer wheels. Most skaters are not even aware that their skates have this cambered configuration.
As with competitive speed sports, the loss of any energy to the equipment is a source of inefficiency, leading to a loss of speed. Any method of energy return from the skates would render a competitive edge to the skater.
Another consideration of avid users is their long term physical damage as well as the uncomfortable sensations due to shock transmitted to the skaters when "striding". The area of shock absorption is thus another major concern to in-line skate aficionados.
Therefore, conventional skates lack enhanced features to enable efficient turning as well as to increase the "user friendliness" of operation for improved enjoyment by in-line skaters.